The OUTfront Campaign of Amnesty International, and more specifically Amnesty-Houston, is dedicated to being proactive and informing about GLBT human rights abuses and advances around the world.

OUTfront Report December, 2011:

1)  From AP 11-8-11:  Transsexual makes debut in new Polish parliament

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — A transsexual woman and an openly gay man took seats in Poland's newly elected parliament Tuesday, historic firsts that reflect profound social change in this traditionally Roman Catholic country.

Anna Grodzka, who was born a man but underwent a sex change, entered the assembly hall to warm greetings. Several men and women shook her hand, while one male lawmaker kissed her on the cheek. She was later introduced to Prime Minister Donald Tusk, who also shook her hand.

Grodzka sat next to Robert Biedron, an activist who is the first openly gay person elected to Poland's parliament. Both belong to Palikot's Movement, a new progressive party that became the third-largest party in parliament in the Oct. 9 election.

Grodzka said she felt overwhelmed by emotion as the session opened with the national anthem and when she later took her oath of office.

"It is a symbolic moment, but we owe this symbolism not to me but to the people of Poland because they made their choice," Grodzka told The Associated Press. "They wanted a modern Poland, a Poland open to variety, a Poland where all people would feel good regardless of their differences. I cannot fail them in their expectations."

Palikot's Movement, led by outspoken entrepreneur-turned-politician Janusz Palikot, has vowed to push for liberal causes. It opposes the influence of the church in political life, promotes gay rights, and wants to challenge the country's near-total ban on abortion.

Ewa Kopacz, the outgoing health minister, was then elected the new parliament speaker — the first time a woman was chosen for a post that the constitution defines as the second most powerful political position, after the prime minister.

The seventh parliament since communism fell was opened by a former speaker, Jozef Zych, who invoked words spoken by the late Polish pope, John Paul II, and acknowledged the presence of archbishops and other church leaders who observed from a balcony.

Zych also remembered the late President Lech Kaczynski and the lawmakers who died with him in a plane crash last year — words spoken as Jaroslaw Kaczynski, the late leader's twin brother, sat solemnly with other conservative lawmakers.

Kaczynski heads the country's largest opposition party, the nationalist Law and Justice party, which is riven by deep divisions and internal turmoil after expelling three key leaders on Friday who had called for a more democratic leadership style from Kaczynski.

Last month's election gave Tusk, of the center-right Civic Platform party, a mandate for a second term. It was the first time since the end of communism 22 years ago that a government won a second consecutive term.

Tusk has remained popular thanks to an image he has cultivated of moderation and because the economy has grown impressively since Poland joined the European Union in 2004. It was the only EU country to avoid recession during the global crisis of 2008-09.

President Bronislaw Komorowski addressed the newly elected lawmakers, urging them to work together to maintain Poland's strong economic performance as Europe faces a new financial crisis.

He called on lawmakers to trim bureaucracy, reform the judiciary and the health system and tackle state debt.

"We know that the state exists for the citizens, and not the other way around," Komorowski said.

Lech Walesa, the hero of Poland's anti-communist revolution and a former president, watched the proceedings from a balcony in the assembly hall.

Tusk, whose government formally resigned on Tuesday, plans to keep governing with his junior partner of the past four years, the conservative Polish People's Party. He also plans to keep many of his key ministers in their jobs, including Foreign Minister Radek Sikorski and Finance Minister Jacek Rostowski.

Later in the day the president charged Tusk with forming a new government. His outgoing team will act as a caretaker government until the new one is formed and faces a confidence vote in parliament.

Tusk said he will build a new government soon, but gave no exact timeline. In any case, it should have no trouble winning a confidence vote because the new coalition enjoys a majority in the parliament.

2)  From Pink News 11-14-11:  St Petersburg lawmakers consider fines for “gay propaganda”

Legislators for the Russian city of St Petersburg are considering new laws designed to prohibit gay “propaganda”.

The draft law introduces fines for what it terms the “propaganda of sodomy, lesbianism, bisexualism and transgenderism, to minors” and “propaganda of paedophilia”.

Fines range from a minimum of 1,000 roubles (£20) for an individual to 50,000 (£1,000) for a business.

Polina Savchenko, General manager of LGBT organization Coming Out, Russia told LGBT Asylum News: “By combining homosexuality, bisexuality, and transsexuality into one law with sexual crimes against minors, members of the Legislative Assembly indulge in gross manipulations of public opinion. Their goal – to pass an anti-democratic law, directed at severely limiting human rights in St. Petersburg.

“In the name of ‘public interest’, members of the Legislative Assembly decided to ignore the Federal law, the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the European Convention for Human Rights, Council of Europe Recommendations and other decrees by international organizations, of which Russia is a member. However, no public discussions were held.

“It is also obvious that adoption of this law violates interests and rights of minors. Russia leads the world in the number of teenage suicides, and ignoring the issues of sexual orientation and gender identity can lead to tragic consequences.”

“This bill is absurd, both in terms of legal logic, and in terms of plain common sense. So what is the real goal? It is clear that adoption of this law would impose significant limitations on the activities of LGBT organizations.

“Organizers of public events cannot restrict access of minors to any open area; people under 18 can be there just by chance. Consequently, it makes any public campaigns aimed at reducing xenophobia and hate crime prevention impossible.”

Two other local legislatures introduced similar laws this year.

According to a 2005 poll, 43.5% of Russians supported the re-criminalisation of homosexual acts between consenting adults.

In June of this year, Russian police arrested 14 gay rights campaigners in St Petersburg. The city is Russia’s second largest, and its former capital.

3)  From AP 11-22-11:  Nigeria moves to ban, criminalize gay marriage

LAGOS, Nigeria—When a gang of men ambushed Rashidi Williams and a male friend earlier this year, the 25-year-old gay Nigerian was too afraid to report the attack to police or even to his family.

Doing so would only create more problems, he says, in this country where legislators are now seeking to criminalize gay marriage.

Here in the megacity of Africa's most populous nation, Williams says marriage though is the last thing on the minds of many gay and lesbian Nigerians who fear physical danger in this conservative country.

"I took myself to the hospital but couldn't say why I had been beaten up because that would have started another set of discrimination for me," said Williams, who hurt his shoulder blade in the attack. "These things are so underreported in Nigeria. It doesn't mean they don't exist ... People are getting killed."

Activists fear that discrimination and violence will only increase if a bill drawing strong support in Nigeria's legislature is passed. Under the measure, couples who marry could face up to three years in jail, and witnesses or anyone who helps couples marry could be sentenced to five years behind bars.

"If this bill passes into law, the Nigerian government will be sanctioning even greater discrimination and violence against an already vulnerable group," said Graeme Reid, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) rights director at New York-based Human Rights Watch.

The proposed law also has drawn the interest of European Union countries, some of which already offer Nigeria's sexual minorities asylum based on gender identity. The British government also recently threatened to cut aid to African countries that violate the rights of gay and lesbian citizens.

Homosexuality is already technically illegal in Nigeria, a country that may be evenly divided between Christians and Muslims but is nearly universally opposed to homosexuality. In the areas in Nigeria's north where Islamic Shariah law is enforced, gays and lesbians can face death by stoning.

Across the African continent, many countries have made homosexuality punishable by jail sentences. Ugandan legislators introduced a bill that would impose the death penalty for some gays and lesbians, though it has not been passed into law two years later. Even in South Africa, the one country where gays can marry, lesbians have been brutally attacked and murdered.

A group of international human rights organizations earlier this month sent a letter opposing the Nigerian bill to legislative leaders, the Nigerian National Human Rights Commission and Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan, who has to approve the bill for it to become law.

Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission also fear the legislation could set back HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment efforts in Nigeria, which has the world's third-highest population of people living with HIV/AIDS.

Some gender experts say the bill could be an attempt to stir anti-gay sentiment.

"If you want to whip up homophobia, I think focusing on same-sex marriage is a very good way of going about it, just sowing the idea that there are lots of 'those' people who want to get married, so that it's seen as attacking a fundamental social institution," says feminist scholar Charmaine Pereira, who is based in Nigeria's capital of Abuja.

The anti-gay marriage legislation, which is being considered for the third time since 2006, already has sailed through two readings in Senate. A public hearing meant to gauge public opinion on the bill saw gay rights activists booed and provided with police escorts to leave the hall after presenting their arguments against the proposed measure.

"I am so confident because Nigeria is a society that is very, very godly," said Sen. Domingo Obende, who sponsored the bill.

Opposition to same-sex marriage is stern in this society that widely views childbearing as the ultimate goal of marriage. But a line near the end of the bill also defines same-gender marriage as "the coming together of persons of the same sex with the purpose of living together as husband and wife, or for other purposes of same sexual relationships."

Some fear that definition seems to imply that even couples who live together, without being married, could face criminal charges.

Joseph Sewedo Akoro, executive director of The Initiative for Equal Rights, says Nigeria's few gay rights activists often ask themselves how much time they can afford to spend trying to persuade lawmakers when ordinary people are the main perpetrators of discrimination and violence against gays.

He cites the example of South Africa, where gays and lesbians are still murdered and suffer discrimination even with laws in place that enshrine their rights.

For Williams, who still lives with his parents even though they disapprove of his sexual orientation, much work still needs to be done for Nigerians to become more tolerant.

"Inasmuch as I want to live with my gay partner at some point, I want to be able to do that in a country that respects that," he says.

4)  From Los Angeles Times 11-24-11:  Rights group urges Cameroon to release jailed gay men

REPORTING FROM JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA -- Amnesty International on Thursday urged Cameroon to release two men sentenced by a court in the capital, Yaounde, to five years in prison for homosexuality. A third man sentenced to the same term had skipped bail.

Many fundamentalist Christians and traditional African leaders oppose homosexuality as "un-African." But Cameroon is emerging as among of the most punitive regimes, having jailed men in the past for homosexuality. The most recent case was in March, when a gay man was jailed for three years, while six other arrested men are in custody awaiting trial.

Morocco has also jailed gay men. Uganda has backed away from a proposed law to punish homosexuality with the death penalty. Nigeria is debating a move to ban same-sex marriage.

But even in South Africa, where same sex-marriage is legal and the constitution guarantees equal rights to all, gay men and women are frequently beaten, killed and raped.

“The Yaounde court must overturn this shocking sentence, which punishes these three men solely on the basis of their perceived sexual orientation,” said Erwin van der Borght, Amnesty International’s director for Africa, in a statement.

“People accused of such crimes in Cameroon often face abuse and violence from other detainees or prison officers in detention. The two men must be released immediately and the Cameroonian authorities must repeal the country’s discriminatory anti-homosexuality laws,” he added.

A lawyer for the men jailed on Tuesday, Alice Nkom, who is a prominent gay rights activist, told the BBC that the men were jailed because they looked like women. The prosecution accused them of having oral sex in a car, a claim the men denied.

5)  From gaynz.com 11-28-11:  Meet "your" gay and lesbian MPs

The general election has seen seven gay candidates elected to Parliament... five are familiar faces, one is slightly less familiar in the house and one is totally new.

Although these men and women are not elected to represent the glbti community their very presence in the house increases the likelihood that our issues will be taken more seriously. Their visibility sends out a reaffirming message to glbti New Zealanders from Kaitaia to Oban, and a rebuff to homophobes everywhere.

The five returning gay MPs are all extremely highly placed in their parties and are poised to take seriously high-placed roles or portfolios. One is even tipped to become deputy leader of the Labour Party when Phil Goff steps down as leader tomorrow.

One of the most powerful gay men in the country has been Christopher Finlayson, who became Attorney General under the John Key-led Government.

Finlayson is a former lawyer and close friend of Bill English who entered Parliament in 2005, and was ranked ninth on the National Party list.

Known for his patronage of the arts, Finlayson served on the board of Creative New Zealand for six years and chaired the Arts Board from 1998 - 2001. He was also a Trustee of the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra Foundation and has been Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage.

The only out National MP, he notoriously does not give personal interviews, and once told a gay audience he is an "odd fish" as he is gay as well as Catholic, has no partner and is celibate.

Jan Logie enters Parliament thanks to her 9^th place ranking on the Greens' list. She is development manager for the NZ Centre for Sustainable Cities, and decided to get into politics because she was sick of shouting at the radio and decided it would be healthier to actually engage with the political process.

"I want to be a person in Parliament who is accessible to the community and to groups working towards positive social change. I know from experience that it really helps to have people in Parliament who are on your side and who will work with you as a team," she says.

On election night Logie declared that she intends to stand up to homophobic voices in Parliament, particularly the politically resurrected long-time homophobe John Banks.

Logie wants to advocate about the implementation of the recommendations of the To Be Who I Am report, bullying and discrimination in schools and workplaces, the right to adopt children and full equality under the law for all relationships.

Maryan Street is a former schoolteacher and Labour Party President who fought hard but lost an almost unwinnable battle in her highly conservative Nelson electorate. She returns to Parliament due to her high place at seventh on the Labour list.

In opposition Street has been spokeswoman for Trade and Foreign Affairs, and has been vocal on glbti right issues overseas. At the GABA pre-election debate she explained:

"Our policies are based on three principles, equality, safety, and dignity... that's all and that's everything. We believe in equality of human rights and no difference on the basis of sexual orientation. And we believe in sticking up for glbti rights, safety and dignity around the world, in those countries where people are beaten, tortured, killed, imprisoned because of their sexuality. There is a global responsibility as well as a local one."

Former double NZ sporting international Louisa Wall moved from the rugby field and netball court into the political game, and has claimed the Labour safe seat of Manurewa for the upcoming term, after two previous short stints in Parliament due to other MPs leaving.

Incredibly passionate about youth, she is concerned about the bullying gay and trans kids face in schools and has told us she thinks making sure students know there is support available should be a key performance indicator for principals. "You shouldn't need a gay staff member in the school to push the issue. Because I do think there is a correlation between our high rates of youth suicide and just not having formal structures where young people can just talk about how they're feeling," she said. "It should just be a standard thing, where we want all our kids to be who they are and encourage them to be themselves.

Wall, like all the Rainbow Labour and Green MPs, is publicly pro same-sex adoption and marriage. She is in a civil union with her partner, lawyer Prue Kapua.